people-from-bhutan

"His Majesty the (Bhutan) King's leadership and guidance have been key to the vaccination program's success. Earlier this year (2021), Bhutan was able to inoculate more than 80% of the total population (12 years old and above), with timely and generous support from countries in the region, Europe and the United States. And currently, Bhutan is preparing for a nationwide third, booster, dose. Despite being a resource-constrained economy, Bhutan did not compromise on the quality and standards of COVID-19 measures. With strict containment measures and successful vaccination programs, Bhutan did not have any positive cases from the community as of mid-December 2021 and was also able to open the economy for business. The good news is that the economy is estimated to achieve 3% GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth in 2021 from –10.8% in 2020."

"Bhutan is a nation full of promise and potential. We have the security and confidence of our own culture and traditions, an unspoiled environment and most importantly, a young population full of dynamism and promise. My message to you, the young leaders of Bhutan is - we have everything it takes to build a strong economy and safeguard everything we cherish - but on one condition – that we start today - with big ambitions, and we work hard."

"The Oxford-educated Himalayan king maintains the ancient tradition of ‘Kidu’, which includes providing educational aid to poor students, medical aid to senior citizens, state land to farmers and assisting victims of natural disasters... Also known as the 'people's king', he has travelled through Bhutan extensively, on foot and on bicycle, and stayed in the homes of the locals and cooked for them."

"His Majesty the King is being recognized for three major human development achievements in Bhutan. His Majesty has championed Gross National Happiness as a holistic development paradigm; his leadership on the environment and climate action has ensured that Bhutan is the only carbon-neutral country in the world; and His Majesty’s guidance, which ensured a smooth transition of the system of governance and strong democratic foundations to be established in Bhutan."

"...as far as you, my people, are concerned, you should not adopt the attitude that whatever is required to be done for your welfare will be done entirely by the government. On the contrary, a little effort on your part will be much more effective than a great deal of effort on the part of the government...""

"...children are our treasures. They hold the promise of the future and therefore, it is only right that they should be given every opportunity to develop their physical, mental and spiritual potential to the fullest extent in an environment free of want and free of fear...""

"Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product."

"All that our country has achieved are the accomplishments of our parents – not ours. Our work lies ahead of us – what we have to do has not been done before... People say that Bhutan is a small country. Yes, its true, but our size is our greatest strength... Some say we are a country landlocked between two giant neighbours – yes we all know that being landlocked has its disadvantages but in building a strong economy our geopolitical location is going to be our biggest advantage. Within a few decades India and China are expected to dominate the world economy. So, in the context of opportunities we are definitely not landlocked – I think we have the world at our doorstep!"

"His Majesty ruled the country from 1972 to 2006 during which Bhutan saw an unprecedented peace, security, prosperity and happiness. His Majesty emerged as one of the greatest leaders in Asia; and for his leadership, he was named as one of the Time Magazine’s top 4 hundred ‘People Who Shape Our World’ in 2006. His Majesty was a humble and selfless leader for whom the welfare of the people always stood above his own."

"The king of the Himalayan state of Bhutan announced the end of a century of absolute royal rule yesterday with the publication of a draft constitution to establish a multiparty democracy. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck said that by the end of the year his 700,000 subjects would be given the right to elect two houses of parliament, whose members would be empowered to impeach the monarch by a two-thirds vote... The British-educated King Jigme, who succeeded at the age of 16 in 1972, said an absolute monarchy was an anachronism."

"Gross National Happiness, or GNH, evolved over centuries in Bhutan but was launched formally in 1972 as an economic alternative by then-King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. At the time, he was criticized for overseeing the stagnation of one of the world's smallest economies based mainly on agriculture and forestry. As a result, the former king shifted focus of development from productivity to human well-being in four areas: sustainable economic development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the environment, and good governance. Since then, government policy in Bhutan has been guided by GNH principles in a succession of five-year plans"

"His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck inadvertently christened his philosophy in 1979 at Bombay airport when he was returning from the sixth Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Havana. Giving a rare interview to group of Indian journalists, one reporter asked “We do not know anything about Bhutan. What is your Gross National Product?” His Majesty said “We do not believe in Gross National Product.” He added “because Gross National Happiness is more important.” The media reports that resulted from the interview did not really focus on a new development philosophy Bhutan was pursuing."

"His Majesty, as a young king, would engage in conversation with civil servants, policy makers, and the citizens very frequently... It was during these unrecorded and informal occasions, over campfires, during his travels throughout the country that His Majesty repeatedly alluded to the need for the government and the leaders to aspire to give to the people what they needed and desired most and that is happiness... At that time, it did not strike most of us as an extraordinarily wise and unique statement as it has now become. We all took it as something obvious and it wasn’t taken as an extraordinarily unique statement."

"All Bhutanese know about the king’s passion for cycling, to which he has increasingly devoted his spare time since December 2006, when he relinquished the crown to his eldest son. In Thimphu, many tell tales of close encounters, or near-misses — the time they pulled over their car to chat with the bicycling monarch, the time they spotted him, or someone who looked quite like him, on an early-morning ride... The fourth king is the most beloved figure in modern Bhutanese history, with a biography that has the flavor of myth. He became Bhutan’s head of state in 1972 when he was just 16 years old."

"We are convinced that we must aim for contentment and happiness. Whether we take five years or 10 to raise the per capita income and increase prosperity is not going to guarantee that happiness, which includes political stability, social harmony, and the Bhutanese culture and way of life."